Bleed For Me
by Loyce
Summary: Choices shadow every step we take in life, so the question is, how much blood are you willing to spill to take that next step?


A/N: First things first... This is the first time I've given a go at a fanfic outside of the GW universe. I've always loved Rurouni Kenshin, so it was only a matter of finding the time to hash out this ficlet. If you know anything about me, you know that I'm partial to the secondary pairings... And this story is further proof.   
  
The relationship between Aoshi and Misao has always pulled at my heart. So this fic has a tad bit of angst in it... as for the ending, not telling you have to read.   
  
Oh, yeah, this fic is rated PG... *fans everyone that passed out* I know, it's a change from my normal NC-17 stuff, but even I need a break from time to time.   
  
HUGS to all!

Disclaimer:  I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bleed For Me

By Loyce

Rating: PG

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She turned her eyes towards the sky and tried to collect her jumbled thoughts, but to no avail. 

Above her, the clouds and the moon seemed to be at war, with the occasional flash of light and roll of the thunder foretelling who would be the victor.   A gust of wind caught a few pieces of her hair, pulling them free from her braid and slapping them against her cheeks.  At any moment the sky would open up and the rain would be down on the dry land.

Nature acted as a mirror for her troubled heart.

Closing her eyes, Misao let her chin fall.  Her hand fisted, her fingernails digging into the calloused skin of her palm.  This is the way it had to be; there was no doubt in her mind of what she had to do… 

_"Misao, we need to talk."_

_"What is it now? Did you get in trouble at the market again?" She huffed. "Jiya, you have to stop chasing after everything in a kimono…" _

_"This is a serious matter, Okashira."_

_A feeling of dread pricked its way along her spine and she turned to give him her full attention.  When he called her by that title, she knew he meant business.   _

_He bowed his white head as he poured them both some tea.  The gently spiced aroma floated around her, but did little to soothe the uneasiness that had settled itself in the back of her mind.  She drew in a deep breath when his wizened eyes finally found hers._

_"We need to discuss Aoshi."_

_"What about Aoshi-sama?"  Her heart thudded deep in her chest.  _

_"He's still a shell of his former self."_

_"I know. But nothing we've done has helped." Looking down into her tea, she swirled it around in the porcelain cup. "Everyone has tried no way or another to make him know how much we need him, how we miss him."_

_"Maybe he needs something else, something he can't ask for."_

_"What do you mean by that, Jiya?"_

_"We've tried to be nice and tip-toe around the boy." He paused, taking a sip from his cup.  "But it's high time he made a decision.  Either to come back into the fold, or leave the Oniwabanshu."_

_Misao slammed her fist on the table and jumped to her feet.  "Jiya, you can't be serious?!  We're the only family he's ever known. We can't just turn him out of the Aoiya…"_

_With a shift motion of his hand, he silenced her outburst. "I never mentioned kicking him out of the Aoiya.  The thought never crossed my mind, Misao.  We've done everything for him except force the issue."  Her guardian rose from the floor.  "Now is the time."_

_"How?"_

_"I'm leaving the decision up to you," He smiled and rested a hand on the girl's shoulder.  "I trust you, Misao."_

Misao opened her eyes and started straight ahead, not seeing anything.  Minutes ticked by, the thunder counting out a few seconds here and there.  Only when the rain began to fall and the wind shifted directions did she turn away from the garden and head back into the Aoiya.

Soaked to the bone, the warm night air felt chilled on her skin.  Her bare feet made no sound as she padded down the hall; the wet footprints she left in her wake stood as the only proof she has been there.  Lightning flashed, illuminating the hallway and casting shadows along the shoji doors.  

The path she walked, she knew by heart.  It was one she had ambled down many nights in her childhood; and this would be the last time she ventured into this part of the Aoiya.  Memories bubbled up, causing a poignant twinge in her chest as she came to a stop in front of the shoji…

_The thunder boomed and the lighting hissed amongst the heavy drops of rain.  With her blanket tucked around her, Misao sprinted from her room.  _

_"Aoshi-sama!"  _

_Her small feet carried her down the hallway and she came skidding to a halt in front of his door.  Without knocking, she slid the shoji back and wandered into his room._

_"What is it, Misao?"  The young man asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and squinting through the darkness._

_Clutching the blanket tighter around her body, she took a few steps forward, "I had a bad dream."_

_"The same one you had last night?"_

_She nodded, while watching him pull his hair back from his face and secure it with a leather band._

_"Would you feel better if you spent the night in here?"_

_"Hai!"  _

_Bounding across the room, she dropped down on the mat beside him and took her normal place between his warm body and the wall.  Outside, another rumble of thunder raced through the town and shook the small building._

_"Don't be afraid of the thunder.  It won't hurt you."_

Snuggling down deeper into the blanket, she yawned. "That's because you're here to protect me, right, Aoshi-sama?"

_He shifted besides her, adjusting the covers to accommodate both of them.  "I'll always protect you, Misao."_

"Good, because Jiya will be upset when he finds the mess I made in the training hall this afternoon…"

Pulling the note out of her obi, thanking Kami that the ink hadn't run in the rain, she placed a chaste kiss on the parchment and slipped it under the door.  A deep sigh escaped, like a heavy weight had been lifted from her chest.  Wringing her hands, Misao turned away and headed back to her own room.  

All she had to do now was wait for an answer. 

**************** 

The breakfast rush subsided and allowed her time enough to escape to her bedroom to prepare for Aoshi's answer.  He would answer her; she was sure of it - if not out his own feelings, then at least out of a sense of duty to his Okashira.  As she pulled on the dark blue material of her uniform, Misao found herself shaking.  She headed over to the dresser and picked up her sharpened kunai and tucked them into her pink obi before leaving the room.  Misao sighed, but the quickened her pace as she made her way across the courtyard toward the training hall.  

Sliding the shoji aside, she stepped into the dimly hall, the musky scent of stale air assaulting her nose.  She crossed the room and picked up the pieces of flint to begin lighting a few candles, before pulling back the shades over the windows.  When the room was illuminated to her liking, Misao made her way to the middle of the floor and pulled a thin piece of black material over her eyes.  If she was about to go through with her plan, she needed to use every spare minute of practice possible.  Over the past few months, when she wasn't working at the Aoiya, she could be found in the comfort of the training hall, moving through her exercises.  It wasn't until a few months ago, that she begged Okina to teach her to use a new weapon.  The sais still felt foreign in her hands compared to her kunai, but according to Okina, she was a natural with the weapon.  

She slipped the familiar weight of her kunai into her hand and fingered the sharp edge of the blade. The cut stung as a thin line of blood to well up to the surface of her skin from the tiny slice.  Bringing the injured finger to her lips, she let the coppery taste engulf her mouth.

_Blood. It had come to this. _

Shaking her head, Misao fell into her fighting stance and inhaled deeply.  A second later one of her throwing knives flew across the room embedding itself in the target directly behind her.  Springing backward, she executed a perfect back flip, flinging two more knives out of her hands, each one connecting with a different target. After landing on her feet, she ducked low, bringing her leg out into the motion of a leg sweep.  As she completed the movement, she planted her foot and pushed herself up, executing a roundhouse kick.  The next movements were a flurry of kicks, punches and defensive moves.  And with each attack she made, more of her kunai flew about the training hall all of them ending up buried deep into their intended targets.  Stray pieces of hair lay plastered against her face with sweat. 

He didn't make her wait long, as she felt another kenki move into the training hall.  Taking hold of the last kunai, she spun around rapidly and hurled it in the direction of the doorway.  The knife made a small sound as it embedded itself into the frame of the shoji.  With a frustrated sigh, Misao grabbed the blindfold and pulled it off her face, her eyes taking in the man standing in the doorway.

"Your aim is off."

She swallowed hard, feeling her shoulders tense.  "No, it was right on the mark.  If I had wanted to hit you, I would have."

Silhouetted by the sun, Aoshi tall body dwarfed the doorway. The uniform still fit him after all this time, and it surprised Misao that she remembered his colors of the Oniwabanshu group.

"Okina has taught you well..." He shifted. "In my absence."  He pulled the knife from the doorframe and tossed it back at Misao.  She caught it with easy and tucked it back into her obi.  "I'm pleased you continued your training.  Your skill has improved."

A pink tint ran up her cheeks.  Turning away from him, so he couldn't see how the simple words of praise had affected her, she continued to collect the kunai from the straw targets.

"Thank you, Aoshi."  Misao glanced over her shoulder at the man who had always held her held her heart in his hands.  "Jiya wouldn't let any of us slack off.  From sun up to sun down, if we weren't in the Aoiya, then we were practicing our techniques."

Aoshi moved further into the hall.  "Okina also told me that you've acquired another weapon."

Tucking the last throwing knife away, she spun to face him. "The sai. A graceful weapon, not too different from your kodachi and the kunai.  I'm still learning to handle them properly, but Jiya is impressed with how quickly I've taken to them.  He says with time, and more patience on both of our parts, I may soon be using them in place of the kunai."  

Aoshi gave a slight nod before the mask of indifference moved back into place. "You sent for me."

It wasn't a question, but a confused statement.  His face still showed nothing, though the inflections of his voice had given away his bewilderment.

Clasping her hands behind her back, she rocked back on her heels. "I want your answer."

His eyes flashed for a split second before he spun on his heel and moved back towards the door. "My answer is no, Misao.  I will not fight you."

The grinding of her teeth drowned out the song from the morning birds outside in the garden.  Before she realized where he legs were carrying her, she was standing in front of Aoshi, blocking his path.  "Give me one good reason why you won't." 

"I will not partake in a battle of 'First Blood' with you."

"Are you afraid I'll win?"

"No."  He glared at her, then moved to sidestep her petite figure.

"Is that a 'No.' that you're afraid of losing to me," Misao scowled at him when she realized the true reason behind his dismissal of the challenge, "Or a 'No.' you won't fight me because I'm a woman?"

His lips thinned out across his face, a sure sign of his irritation. "I have given you my answer, Misao."

"I'm not a child, Aoshi.  I know the dangers of a blood match.  I've seen them my entire life." She cringed as the memory of one particular match between he and Hannya surfaced. "I remember seeing you participate in a few yourself."

He turned away again, but she followed.  "That was different…"

"How so?" She yelled. "How is it any different from the match that I've requested?"

Aoshi faced her suddenly.  The calm tone of his voice was steadily rising.  "What do you hope to achieve with this, Misao?"

"Simple.  If I win, you'll have to take back the position of Okashira."

"And if I win?" He moved closer and she could see the muscle in his jaw clench.  "What do I get if I spill your blood first?"

Her tongue darted out and moistened her dry lips. "I'll leave you to your own devices."

"Meaning?"

"You can do whatever the hell you want with your life… even if it's continuing to move through the Aoiya, a ghost of the person we once knew."

She regretted the harsh words as soon as they passed her lips.  But she wasn't going to apologize for speaking the truth.  Even though he had returned from his mediations at the temple, he still refused to take part in any Oniwabanshu business and continued to isolate himself from the rest of their 'family'… and from her.

Standing her ground, she waited for him to say something, anything.  But time ticked by without so much as a word from him.  His eyes were hidden behind the long veil of his dark hair, and she had to resist the urge to move the locks out of the way to see what he was thinking.  Before she could raise her hand, he spoke.

"I'm sorry, Misao, but I still turn down your challenge." With a bow, he turned away from her and headed towards the opened door.

The small reign she had on her control snapped. "Don't walk away from your Okashira!"

Loyalty. Honor.  They were the only weapons she had that would stop him from walking through the threshold and she knew how to wield them with great efficiency.

"If you won't accept the challenge, then we'll do this the hard way."  Drawing in a breath, she turned the full force of her azure colored eyes on him.  "You will have this match with me, one way or another.  I order you to comply with my wishes."

Outwardly, he didn't show any signs of defeat, but she felt his kenki change.  She had played her final card, knowing well that he'd never disobey the orders of his leader.  It was the Oniwabanshu, let alone, the ninja way.

The sound of his low voice echoed through the hall.  "Hai, Okashira."  

Her eyes followed him as he marched to the far wall and retrieved a set of kodachi.  Aoshi looked down on the weapons and Misao wondered if he realized he was holding the blades he had practiced with while he was a youth.  

She stared at him for a few moments before turning toward the far end of the hall.  Misao picked her sai and then strode back to the middle of the room, her eyes never leaving his face.  Crossing the blades in front of her chest, she bowed her head, saluting Aoshi as he mimicked her motions with his swords.  

They took their stances.  The cold metal quickly heated against Misao's palms and her fingers flexed around the weapons.  With three beats from Aoshi's foot, the battle began and he vanished from view.

Knowing that she wasn't a match of most of Aoshi's succession techniques, Misao quickly began to question her rash actions in asking… no, demanding this battle.  She held her ground and waited for the Ryuusui no Ugoki to take full effect.   Soon she was surrounded in faint images of her opponent.

One of the things she prided herself on was her superior eyesight.  It was a necessary part of using kunai as weapon; she could accurately hit a target that is difficult to see.  Her hand clenched around the base of the sai as she lunged at an image of him, only to have the weapon meet with air.

She never saw the elbow that caught her on her cheek.  Pain exploded across her face, followed by a fire that raced over her skin.  Instinct caused her to stop and caress the injury.  Her mouth filled with the familiar taste of blood, but she refused to spit it out.  Revealing the injury would mean her defeat in battle, and she wasn't about to throw in the towel so soon.

"Why did you stop your attack?!"

Her eyes raked over the hall, finally locating Aoshi.  He stood a good distance away, the surprise of her actions shone in his pale eyes.  Even the hold on his kodachi had slackened.  

"Don't you dare give up," She growled, wiping her hand across her mouth to check for traces of blood.  "And don't pull any punches either.  That's an order."

Her tone left no room for debate. 

Bending back, she dodged his kick and launched into a back flip.  When her feet hit the floor, her gaze refocused on the tall man across the room.  His stance was stiff, not fluid like normal, and it was a posture she'd seen him practice numerous times in her youth. 

_He wasn't going to, was he?_

Before the throw, Aoshi bumped the hilt of the first sword with the tip of the second. The blade caught the gleam of the morning sun as it raced towards her. Moving on instinct, Misao brought the sais up in front of her and blocked the first kodachi with her right, the second with her left.  She could hear every beat of her thundering heart, back-dropped against each gulp of air.  

It was a strange sensation to be angry and thankful at the same time.  At normal speed, the Onmyou Hasshi would have killed her.  She'd heard Himura mention the battle that had taken place between himself and Aoshi at Shishio's stronghold, and how he'd just enough time to dodge the second blade, losing a few hairs in the process. 

But this time, the technique had been performed at half speed.  

Her opponent moved to pick up one of his discarded swords, but Misao slid across the wooden floor and right as his hand closed around the hilt, she stuck the sai across the blade, pinning it down.    Grunting, she fought against him, twisting the sai in an effort to make it harder for him to retrieve the weapon.   Her free elbow hit him square in the chin and she couldn't help the small smile of satisfaction at giving him back some of his own.  But the blow didn't even make him flinch.  She dove at him with her free sai and he faded from her vision once again.  When she felt his body behind hers, he was already pulling her to her feet.  

Aoshi had her locked up in a hold that limited the use of her own limbs while his arms wrapped about her shoulders.  The sais were too short to mar his skin and signal an end of the match.  Somehow she had to break his grip.  

Lifting her leg, she rammed her foot onto the top of his kneecap.  Like the mighty giant Hiko defeated, he tumbled off balance.  Misao brought the same leg straight up, so it was parallel with her body and slammed against his head.  The combination of moves worked and she was free from Aoshi's grasp.  

As fast as she could, Misao sprang away from him.  Her chest rose and fell as she watched him stalk forward and collect each of his kodachi.  The nonchalant way he moved sparked her determination even further. Touching her feet against the wall, she pushed off and threw one leg out in front of her while tucking the other leg underneath of her. "Kecho Giri!"  

Aoshi blocked her initial kick but was not prepared when the other leg came striking out, catching him in the mid-section. He took a step back to steady himself.  Racing forward again, she tucked the blades of the sais along her forearms and lashed them out at the last moment, hoping to knock at least one of Aoshi's kodachi out of his hands.  

Metal bit on metal and Misao bit her lip as the blow rocked her small frame.  One sai was tossed to the floor, her hand stunned from the force of the impact.  She tried to reach for her kunai with her trembling fingers, but Aoshi took the hilt of his kodachi and connected with her unprotected right side.  When she reached her left arm around to clutch her ribs, he swept his leg against her knees, knocking her feet out from underneath of her. The fall to the floor knocked the remaining air from her lungs.  

_When did I start making rookie mistakes?  _

Rolling away from Aoshi, her eyes grew wide while she gasped and gulped for oxygen against the polished wood floor.  She tightened the grip on the remaining sai and finally retrieved a handful of kunai from her obi.  Taking a few staggered movements, she regained her footing and hurled the throwing knifes in his direction.  She knew he'd be able to block them with ease, but the action was a stalling tactic until she could get her breath back.  

She swung around behind him, catching him in the side with the blunt end of the weapon.  A small groan passed by his lips, but he shook off the insignificant blow and extended his leg.  Misao jumped out of the way of his foot, his fist followed and connected with her stomach.  Bile rose in her mouth and washed away the remaining taste of blood.  Nausea hit; her vision blurred.  When the haze cleared, he was charging at her.  

Wrapping both hands around the hilt of the sai, Misao held it up to block the blow. 

Aoshi struck her weapon with one of the short swords, than brought down his second to form a 'X' position. The sai shattered under the extreme pressure he exerted from the Onmyou Kousa.  The fragmented piece tumbled to the ground, her last line of defense gone.  She moved back against the wall for support, realizing too late that she had trapped herself.  

With very little effort, Aoshi was able to execute the Gokou Juuji by moving his arms outward and placing the blades against her shoulders.  In another of battle, all he would have to do is flick his wrists and two large wounds would appear on his opponent's neck.  Misao felt a drop of sweat trail down her neck, the blades pinched against the hollow of her throat.**  
  
**

"Do it, Aoshi. Go ahead.  You've won."

"I can't…" He whispered.

It was a broken sound that tore at her.  "Why not? All it takes is a single prick. One drop of blood."

He continued to pin her against the wall, this time with his steely gaze.  "No."

"Damnit, Aoshi."  Tears choked her voice. "End this battle, right now. One way or another."

"I can't… hurt you."

Her hands fought the material of her obi as she searched for her last kunai.  "You've never physically hurt me, Aoshi, but emotionally…" She stopped when her fingers wrapped around the base of the small weapon.  He was so close. All she had to do was reach out and run the sharp blade over some part of his body.  

_"But it's high time he made a decision…"_

Okina's words drifted back to her, freezing her arm against her body.  He was right.  It was then she realized that she couldn't make the decision for him; Aoshi needed to make it for himself.

Misao looked into his face.  Through the damp strands of inky colored hair, she could see the hard lines around his eyes soften.  He never said a word, but the expression she read in their icy blue depths said enough.

"I can't make this decision for you. It doesn't matter what you choose…" She gave him a smile that never reached her eyes. "As long as you're happy."

A sound escaped his throat.  Misao blinked at what she thought was the foreign noise of a short laugh.  "You're worried about my happiness?"  

"Why shouldn't I be?"  

He lessened the pressure of the kodachi, the blades moving off of her shoulders and coming to rest beside him.  He kept his face averted from her and Misao wanted to reach out and cup his cheek in her hand, but she resisted.  She wasn't going to force him one way or another.

The muted clanging of metal brought her out of her reverie. With wide eyes, she watched as Aoshi towered over her.  He placed his hands against the wall, on either side of her body, so that she was still cornered.  One large hand moved to encircle her wrist and brought it between their bodies.  The kunai felt heavy in her grip.  The silver glinted in the dim light of the room; the pale red tint along one edge caught her attention.  It was the same knife she had cut herself with earlier.  

It hung there in her hand between them, like a hangman's noose waiting for its next victim.  Everything depended on what would happen next. But while Aoshi might find his happiness, Misao's hung in the balance. 

"I'm sorry, Misao."

"Aoshi…"

Before she could utter another sound, he had torn the knife from her grasp and ran it along her forearm.  It was a small scratch, but effective. A fine trail of red shadowed the movement of the weapon.

Closing her eyes, she let the fire of the cut wash into her body.  The pain did not linger long, as numbness engulfed her in its comforting embrace. Tears that had earlier threatened her voice, spilled over onto her cheeks.  

He had made his decision.

An eerie silence screamed throughout the training hall, even the birds outside refused to continue their song.  Words escaped her.  She couldn't find away to express the inner turmoil she felt.  Why couldn't she find any solace in the fact that he was content?

"I will respect the terms of our match."  The statement took more courage than she thought she could muster.  Dropping her gaze, she brought her injured arm in front of her.  A few wayward tears mingled with the congealing blood.  She couldn't look at him. "You've won, Aoshi."

"Thank you, Misao."

"For what?"

"For setting me free."

She stiffened, wiped away any traces that she had been crying and lifted her head.  "You're relieved of your obligations to the Oniwanbusha." 

A soft smile was forming on his lips.  "The title suits you more than it ever did me."  

Misao ignored him, not ready to debate the issue. "In no way, does this mean you have to leave the Aoiya, but if you want to… we'll understand."  

His hands dropped away from the wall and he stood to his full height. "I have no intention of leaving at this time."

"If, in time, you wish you rejoin us, you'll always have a place here."  

Dismissing him with a curt nod and a half smile, she started to move towards the door.   

His hand snaked out and slammed into the wall in front of her face.  Caught off guard by the quick movement, Misao took a few faltering steps back. Her eyes darted between the gleam of the embedded kunai and his outstretched arm before she turned a confused expression to him. 

"I'm sorry for the pain I've caused."

Misao was ready to tell him that there was no need to apologize, that she had been the one that demanded the match, when it dawned on her what he had said. His gaze raked over her face, caressed each line until he locked his eyes with hers.  The ice colored eyes that had haunted her dreams held a warmth she hadn't witnessed in a long time.  There was so much said and left unsaid in that simple statement.  The pain he talked of wasn't just her injury, but of the pain he'd caused to her heart.  

"Aoshi… I…"

His arms crushed her against his body and he laid his chin on the top of her head.  

"It's alright, Misao. I know."

The reassuring words proved to be her undoing. She let it all out; all of the tears, fears, loneliness and frustration she had refused to release time and time again.  Her fingers dug into the material of his uniform, her sobs muffled against his chest. She breathed in his familiar scent, reveling in the comfort it offered.  

How long they stood there, with her folded into his embrace she didn't know; nor did she care. She turned her head and listened to the steady beat of his heart.  It wasn't a dream; he was real, she was real and dull ache on her forearm was very real.  

Taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger, he tilted her head up, looked down into her face and smiled.  

She had been right; Aoshi had made his choice.

He had chosen her.


End file.
